7 Things WWE Survivor Series 2017 Got Wrong
3. The NXT Problem, Part 72398234
Braun Strowman was once a 'Rosebud'. He wasn't even the 'Monster Of A Man' transforming the art of a beating today. Asuka was, however, an untouchable 'Empress'. Either way, both were devastating at this year's event. But their success papered over the mile-wide cracks still horribly evident in the NXT-to-WWE transition.
A lot stems from the same old issue with talent preservation. Stars become stars by beating other stars, but the panic over a gap at the top level from the lost generation has altered how WWE treats the second tier. Across the course of the evening, Bayley, Jason Jordan, Bobby Roode, Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were all made to look like absolute goofs, despite at separate times being the most relevant acts to perform in front of the Full Sail loyalists.
It's an absolute mess, to tell the truth. The company has never been so fertile with talent it owns lock stock, and can claim significant development of. But if recent tumult is to be believed, half of them couldn't be more miserable plying their trade there.
On the excellent Kevin Owens '365' WWE Network special, an awkward moment is recorded between 'KO' and VKM following his rubbish WrestleMania match with Chris Jericho. 'Are we good?' asks Kevin to his boss. 'No', McMahon tersely replies.
Vince didn't know how right he was. They're not good, they're great, but they're all being reduced to sh*t.